Airguns are devices for applying a controlled stream of high-pressure air to an industrial fixture or another surface, typically for purposes of removing debris or other cleaning. As such, airguns are part of a system comprising an air compressor or other source of pressurized air, a length of flexible hose connecting the compressor to the airgun, and the airgun itself. The airgun typically includes a handle, a trigger for controlling the air flow, an extension tube (a.k.a. barrel) for directing the flow, and a nozzle for shaping the discharged flow.
Spray guns, water guns, and oil guns work on similar principles, since all include a fluid flow control device that works off a pressurized source. Such “guns” usually include a mechanism for controllably siphoning and metering a stream of liquid into controlled air flow, for purposes of, e.g., painting or cleaning.
Airguns are most frequently used in industrial settings. For hanging or other storage near machine tools or other workstations, airguns have included a hanger or hook built in as part of the airgun body, i.e., the hook is integral to the body casting. However, because the hook is part of the airgun body, it is immobile, and its position cannot be changed or adjusted by end users. Airguns are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and lengths. When attached to the flexible hose, the center of gravity of the unit may be quite different than the airgun by itself. Thus, airguns can become quite awkward to hang or store in a manner which lends itself to easy operator access and safety, i.e., the easier an airgun is to hang the more likely a user will store it safely. Moreover, existing built-in hooks (e.g., eyelets) tend to be small, and oftentimes cannot accommodate anything larger than a diameter of ⅜″.
In addition to a lack of operational flexibility, built-in hooks often break off during use. This is because built-in hooks are typically made out of the same material as the body casting, namely, die cast aluminum or zinc. Metal is fine for airgun bodies, but is brittle and easily broken in the context of less substantial features such as hooks or hangers. Moreover, because broken aluminum is difficult and impractical to reattach to itself, the broken hooks are virtually impossible to reattach via an adhesive or the like. Also, because they are part of the cast airgun body, they cannot be replaced outright.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a hook or hanger for airguns that has much greater operational flexibility, that resists breaking, and that can be easily replaced.